Anywhere.FM goes after online radio

Anywhere.FM is a new online music service that allows users to upload their entire music collections and listen to them wherever they have an Internet connection.

Since its launch last Thursday, the service has attracted more than 3,700 users who have uploaded more than 265,000 songs. It competes with Pandora and Last.fm, which was recently acquired by CBS. It is currently partnering with GarageBand.com, the independent online music service from Seattle’s iLike.

Anywhere.FM also is similar to Melodeo’s new music service, nuTsie, which allows people to access random mixes of their iTunes collections either on the Web or a mobile device.

At this time, Anywhere.FM co-founder Sachin Rekhi said their focus is to build “a digital music locker service that not only lets you play your music through any browser, but makes it really easy to share and discover music through friends.” However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of creating a mobile application to compete head-to-head with Melodeo.

And what about the similarity in names between Last.fm and Anywhere.FM?

Rekhi admits that the names are “somewhat similar,” but adds that a number of online radio stations are now using the “FM” letters. “We thought it was appropriate and speaks to the fact that we make your music accessible anywhere and allow radio stations in the form of Friend Radio,” said Rekhi, referring to the service that allows users to listen to random mixes of songs from their friends’ play lists.

Created by three Seattleites, the startup is currently on a cross-country tour as it operates without a true headquarters. It was accepted into the Y Combinator business incubation program in the Boston area for the summer and may move to the San Francisco Bay Area in order to be closer to potential investors

But Rekhi, who worked at Microsoft for the past two years, says they have not settled on a location. Other co-founders include Anson Tsai, who previously worked on Microsoft’s Xbox, and Luxiou Chen, formerly of Amazon.com.

TechCrunch has more details, pointing out even more competitors in the crowded space.